Takom's two new kits – The M3 Lee & Grant in 35th scale
SO we were teased last week – the running gear of something that miiight be Sherman? A Ram? No – maybe a Lee? What about a grant?
The news just came thru that it is an M3 Lee in 35th scale, as well as a Grant in the same scale – what's the difference some of you might say?
M3 Lee/ Grant Basics...and what is the difference between them?
The M3 Lee, officially Medium Tank, M3, was an American medium tank used during World War II. In Britain, the tank was called by two names based on the turret configuration and crew size.
Tanks employing US pattern turrets were called the "Lee", named after Confederate General Robert E. Lee. Variants using British pattern turrets were known as "Grant," named after Union General Ulysses S. Grant.
Here they are - with a suspiciously laid out picture of the real things below it...
Design commenced in July 1940, and the first M3s were operational in late 1941. The U.S. Army needed a medium tank armed with a 75mm gun and, coupled with the United Kingdom's immediate demand for 3,650 medium tanks, the Lee began production by late 1940. The design was a compromise meant to produce a tank as soon as possible.
The M3 had the considerable firepower and good armour, but had serious drawbacks in its general design and shape, including a high silhouette, an archaic sponson mounting of the main gun preventing the tank from taking a hull-down position, riveted construction, and poor off-road performance. They were extensively used in northern Africa.
Its overall performance was not satisfactory and the tank was withdrawn from combat in most theatres as soon as the M4 Sherman tank became available in larger numbers.
Takom's kits – what we know...
OK so we know that Takom are making the M3Lee and Grant models,
Both in 1/35th scale
Both with no interior
Two Decal marking choices each from AMMO
Link & length tracks with an assembly jig (yay)
Although takom have only revealed the Early Lee and Grant – we think it will be an easy step to make a later version of each of those tanks...
More on these kits as they come to mind – We already have builders standing by to show you what they are like in build reviews so stay tuned...